People who know me well know that I am fascinated by industrial archaeology and also our railway heritage. The Crowle Peatland Railway forms part of that and deserves all the publicity it can get. It would have disappeared for ever if not for the efforts of a dedicated band of volunteers.
Peat has been dug from Thorne and Hatfield Moors in North Lincolnshire for centuries. In the late 1880s commercial extraction began with peat being removed along horse drawn tramways. The horses were replaced by small industrial locos after the Second World War. The rail lines were temporary and relocated as peat was dug from the differing areas. (I remember seeing them from the train between Scunthorpe and Thorne back in the late 1960s.)
Peat extraction ended in 2001.
Since then, a band of enthusiastic volunteers have relayed about quarter of a mile of track and lovingly restored three of the locos that used to work the line. There are also examples of the original trucks used as well as a peat cutter on the site.
They now run services with passengers being carried on Wickham Trolleys on loan from the Rail Trolley Trust. Open air, these are a bumpy and exhilarating run. They have recently acquired a Portuguese tram car which is being restored for passenger use.
The small cafe is open on their open days – usually the second weekend of the month as well as for Sunday brunch on the third Sunday of the month and afternoon tea on the first Wednesday of the month.
This is a popular event with a very good breakfast with supplies from the local butcher. It is definitely recommended.
We had the brunch and then had a look around the site and were shown round the workshop by an enthusiastic volunteer. This has display boards covering the history of the area, peat extraction and wild life.
The society has only been in operation for a few years and they only began laying track in November 2018. It has clear plans how they want to develop. It has restored part of local industry that was fast disappearing and would have disappeared completely without their input. It is also bringing visitors into an area that rarely sees them.
The Railway is in the middle of nowher3e and surrounded by moor. There are directions to find it here.
Website
More information and short video here.
